Norway’s fishing industry

Some nations have strong agricultural traditions, while others are more closely associated with the sea. Each has its own unique heritage and history, but none more so than the homeland of the fjords, Norway.

For thousands of years the sea has served as Norway’s pantry, providing the basis for living for the people of the coastal regions.

Norway’s natural asset is its more than 83,000 kilometres of coastline, numerous offshore depths and cold, clean fjords. All of which has placed Norway as one of the world’s premier fishing nations.

Thanks to the Gulf Stream and other favourable natural conditions, Norwegian seafood has always been an important food source and economic resource that has contributed significantly to Norway’s prosperity.

Traditional fishing methods remain in use, while at the same time new technologies and modern methods have been introduced. The competencies of Norwegian fishermen have been developed over centuries and are passed on from generation to generation.

Today over 13,000 fishermen are employed in the fjords and along the coast, from the northernmost sub-arctic waters of Finnmark to the southerly stretches of Oslo fjord.

Norway has a long history of sustainable conservation of the sea’s riches and sharing them responsibly with the rest of the world.

Similarly, one trusts that other countries, large and small, will see fit to develop their natural resources and thus contribute to the creation of a common, global culinary marketplace.

At both national and international level Norway is working to ensure that the fishing industry is run on the basis of sustainable management of resources.

The greatest challenge facing the industry today is that of illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, which accounts for up to an estimated 30 per cent of the total catch.